Entering his fifth NFL season, Trevathan provides a much-needed upgrade to anchor the middle of the Bears' defense. He played three years in Denver under Bears coach John Fox and has a built-in comfort level with Chicago's 3-4 defensive scheme.

The Bears struggled to establish consistency at inside linebacker last year, relying on a rotating cast of characters that included former first-round pick Shea McClellin and Christian Jones.

General manager Ryan Pace said at the NFL scouting combine that the club has some interest in re-signing McClellin, who is also an unrestricted free agent after the team declined his fifth-year option.

Trevathan had a bounce-back season in 2015 after he spent much of the 2014 season out of the lineup with three separate injuries to his left leg. After the third injury, Trevathan went on injured reserve.

He led the team in tackles in two of the past three seasons, topping 100 tackles in those two years.

But he started all but one game in the regular season in 2015 and all three of the team's postseason games.

Trevathan is a three-down linebacker who has experience in the 3-4 scheme the Broncos played this past season as well as the 4-3 scheme Fox and then-defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio used in his first three seasons with the team.

As Trevathan has put it: "I feel like I can play anywhere anybody needs me to play."

Trevathan, who turns 26 on March 24, was the Broncos' sixth-round pick in 2012.

Cornerback Tracy Porter, who signed a one-year contract with the Bears last summer, will stay in Chicago after coming to a three-year agreement with the team. Porter's deal is worth $16.5 million, according to ESPN and media reports.

Limited to three games in an injury-plagued one-year stint in Washington in 2014, Porter, 29, recoveredto become arguably Chicago's most effective cornerback last season. He led the teamwith 22 pass breakups.

Porter's crowning achievement happened in Chicago's upset victory atGreen Baywhen he became the only player to record four pass breakups against Packers quarterbackAaron Rodgersinone game.